Aeroplane



Dec. 3, 1929. L. F. covATcH AEROPLANE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. l5, 1929 ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1929. L. F. covATcH 1,738,423

AEROPLANE Filed Feb 15. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ff' ATTORNEY Dac, 3, 1929. L. F. covATcH AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 15, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1929. L. F. covATcH AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 15,v 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lllllllunwyuu:v M4

5.25700 z/acmmm ATTDRNEY enema Dec. a, 1929*- UNITED STATES' LOTT F. COVATCH, F ROSSI'ITER, PENNSYLVANIA merrains ,Animation med February 15; 192e.- serial'no. anales.`

` This invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes, the general object of the invention being to increase the efficiency of the plane by providing a wind wheel for helping p the engine to drive the propeller and by proriding adjustable wings for facilitating the landing and take-off of the plane and the control of the plane while in the air and also to provide safety means on the wings for to enablin the craft to make a safe landing under a normal conditions.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail., reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is a plan view of the improved plane.

` Figure 2 is a side view with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of the wings, showing the safety device thereon, with parts of the plane in section.

Figure 4- is a section on line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on ure 4.

Figure 6 is a view showing the front wind wheel and its cover, the cover being in lowered position. y v

ln these views, A indicates the fuselage of the plane and B indicates the wings thereof, the drawings' showing these wings as being four in number, with a pair at the front and a pair at the rear of the fuselage. Each pair of wingsis mounted on a shaft 1 which is rotatably supported in the fuselage and within the fuselage each shaft has fastened thereto a pair of gears 2 and the gears of the front shaft are connected with those of the rear shaft by the two sets of shaft-ing and gears 3. A. shaft 4 isconnected with the central part of the front shaft 1 by the worm gearing 5 and this shaft 4 extends-into the cockpit and Bil line 5-5 of Fighas a hand wheel .6 thereon. Thus by turning the wheel, all four wings can be rocked about a horizontal axis to control the flight of the plane and also its landing and take-off.

An opening 7 is formed in each wing and 55 a frusto-conical casing `8 is placed on each wing above the opening. Each frusto-conical member is provided with a cover 9 which is spaced from the upper end of the member so that air can readily pass through the member from the opening and a vertically arranged shaft 1() is journaled in said cover and in a spider 1l in the upper part of the opening. A fan or wind wheel 12 is attached to the lower end of the shaft andl a propeller 13 is attached to the upper end of the shaft which projects above the cover. A shutter'14 is slidably arranged in the wing and is normally held closed by a cable 15 attached to the shutter and to a spring drum 16 mounted in the wing. A cable 17 is connected to the inner end lof'each shutter and passes over a guiding pulley 18 at the inner end of each wing and the cables for the wings at each side of the fuselage are connected to an arm 19, one "15 cable being connected to the lower end of the arm and the other to the upper end of the arm. These arms are fastened to a shaft 20 which passes through the fuselage and a hand lever 21 is connected with the `shaft so that by manipulating this lever, the shaft can be rocked to exert a pull on all the cables' and thus open all the shutters simultaneously. By moving the lever in an opposite direction, the cables are slacked so that the cables on the spring drums will close all the shutters simultaneously. t

These wind wheels and propellers will act i to-provide means for enabling the craft to make a safe landing if anything should happen to the engine or other parts which would interfere with the landing of the plane and if an accident should happen, it is simply necessary to open the shutters so as to permit the wind to act on the wind wheels, which will operate the propellers and the operation oi these propellers will enable the plane to make a safe landing. g

A substantially conical housing 22 is con- Anected with the nose of the fuselage and a 10 wind wheel or fan 23^is placed therein, this wind wheel being attached to the propeller shaft 24 which passes through the housing. This wind wheel will act to help the engine drive the propeller shaft and when it is not desired to use this wind wheel, a sliding cover 25 may be drawn over the front of the housing by a cable 26 which extends into the cockpit. This cover is formed with the slots 27 through which the bolts Q8 pass so that the coverl is slidably connected with the housing, and by pulling upon the cable, the cover will be moved from the position it occupies in Figure 6 to aposition where it will cover the housing and the wind wheel '23. The cover is formed-with a slot 29 to receive the propeller shaft.

he controls 30 for the rudder 31'are at- 'j tached to arms on the stub shafts 32 journaled in the walls of the cockpit, each shaft being provided with a hand lever 33 whereby it may be rocked to cause the control to move the rudder.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features j of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, wings connected with the sides thereof, each wing having a vertical opening therein, a frusto-conical casing carried by each wing with its lower end in communication with the opening, a fan shaft journaled in the housing, a fan on the lower end of the shaft, a propeller on the upper end of the shaft above the housing, shutters for closing the openings.

2. An aeroplane comprising a. fuselage, wings pivotally connected with the sides thereof, means for adjusting the wings about their pivotal point, each wing having a vertical opening therein, a frusto-conical casing carried by each wing with its lower end in communication with the opening, a fan shaft journaled in the housing, a fan on the lower end of the shaft, a propeller on the upper end of the shaft above the housing, shutters for closing the openings, means for normally holding the shutters closed and manually operated meansl for opening all the shutters simultaneously. i

3. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, front and rear pairs of wings pivotally connected at their inner ends with the sides of the fuselage, means for adjusting the Wings about their pivotal points simultaneously,

' each wing having an opening therein, a vertically arranged shaft journaled in each wing adjacent the opening, a fan on the lower end of the shaft and registering with the opening, a propeller on the upper end of the shaft,

shutters for elosin the openings, means for normally holding t e shutters in closed position and means for simultaneously opening all the shutters.

4. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage, front and rear pairs of wings pivotally connected at their inner ends with the sides of the fuselage, means for adjusting the wings about their pivotal points simultaneously, each wing having an opening therein, a vertically arranged shaft journaled in each wing adjacent the opening, a fan on the lower end of the shaft and registering With the opening, a propeller on the upper end of the shaft, shutters for closing the openings, means for normally holding the shutters in closed position, means for simultaneously opening all the shutters, a. housing connected with the nose of the fuselage, a vertically arranged fan therein, the propeller shaft passing through the housing and the fan being attached to said shaft and means for closing the front end of the housing.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature. 

